Motor vehicles with sliding doors are sufficiently known from prior art. They have at least one lock, with which the sliding door is with a bordering column is connected in the closed state. It here proves necessary to provide a safeguard in the transition area between the sliding door and bordering column with which the sliding door can additionally be secured to the column, for example a B- or C-column, or held during exposure to external forces. In particular in the face of deformation forces caused by crash or collision, the sliding door can be placed under a particularly strong outward stress.
Known from EP 1 784 312 B1 is a sliding door arrangement with a retention unit, which in the closed position of the door can engage with a guide rail of the sliding door, so as to hold back the door relative to the vertical axis of the vehicle when the door experiences an impact. However, such a retention unit is only conditionally suitable for absorbing forces acting on the door in the transverse direction to the vehicle, in particular outwardly acting forces.
In order to absorb or buttress especially high forces of the kind that arise during a collision, consideration might be given to incorporating a second lock. However, this would involve a greater assembly and cost outlay. In addition, a mechanical synchronizing device would be needed to couple both locks.
Therefore, at least one object of the invention is to provide a sliding door arrangement for a motor vehicle with an improved safeguard, which is characterized by an elevated stability and functional reliability, has a simplified design in terms of assembly, and is especially cost effective to manufacture. In addition, other objects, desirable features, and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.